Spots and scales
by StupidBolts
Summary: "You always find your way back. It's part of what just makes you, you!," he explained, voice getting tired and droopy. "I know you'll always come back to me." BW crack pairing. Cheetor/Dinobot.
1. Chapter 1

Short, yellow fur bristled against stone like scales, a ridged tail coiling around his middle. Cheetor was used to the hold by now, used to the other's nightly routines. They'd been sharing a bunk for about an Earth month. Every night, he'd shimmy through the ventilation system so no one would catch him, and crawl into the saurian's room. Sometimes Dinobot was already asleep, and he'd just stand there and watch for a minute or so, then climb in with him.

Recharging in beast mode had become a habit among the Maximals, after the "sleep prowling" incident. Cheetor liked it. A Velociraptor's affection was extremely different to a warm blooded creature's. Nothing sweet and fluffy, just firm and strong.

Optimus Primal was oblivious to these goings on, though Rhinox was becoming aware of Cheetor's subtle changes in behaviour. Rattrap had noticed how unfocused his scaly best friend was becoming these days. A part of Dinobot suspected the rodent knew already – the little bastard seemed to know everything he was not meant to – but had the uncanny courtesy of keeping it a secret, for both their sakes.

"That is the curious thing about Rattrap," Dinobot had said to Cheetor one day. "He is a lecherous, insipid, infuriating little wretch that would crawl into a berth with just about any sentient being on Cybertron or any other planet... but he is a good friend."

Oh, the rat had offered more than friendship to the Predacon, but had been politely turned down. At first he was under the impression that Dinobot did not wish to endanger one of his very few friendships, but then saw how close the raptor was getting to the youngest member of their crew. And the clever rat put two and two together.

Cheetor nuzzled closer, enjoying the stilled warmth that radiated from Dinobot. "Are you awake?," he whispered, tail flickering over a scaly belly.

"Indeed. Now, at least."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. What is it?"

"I wanted to ask you a question..." Dinobot let out a long suffering sigh, feeling as though he already knew what this question would be. Cheetor had been asking a particular question for quite a while now.

"Once you are of age, feline," he hissed dryly. Cheetor laughed merrily, then pressed their noses together.

"Not _that_ question!," he sniggered, pawing slightly at the other's chest. "Although that isn't so far away now."

"I dread the day."

"I bet." Dinobot snorted fondly with a tired smile. His tail tightened around the cat, making Cheetor purr. "If it upsets you... you don't have to answer."

"... I do not like where this is heading."

"Heh, I know. I just wanted to know..." Dinobot held his breath. Cheetor had an incredible talent for asking questions that stabbed deep into one's subconscious, occassionally making him question his very existence, motives and choices. And Dinobot didn't know how he did it. "What would you do if I went to Megatron, or any of the other Predacons?" Dinobot stared at the dark in front of his optics, knowing full well Cheetor was staring back.

"If you _'went to'_?"

"You know what I mean."

"I'd have your hide mounted on my wall." The cub laughed, tail flickering playfully. Dinobot grinned again, then tugged him closer. "All joking aside, I don't really know what I'd do. I honestly cannot imagine such a scenario."

"How come?"

"You'd never go to them."

"Yeah, but what if I _did?_ "

Dinobot sighed and thought hard. What would he do? He'd certainly end up taking a life, but whose? Anyone dumb enough to try and stop him from going after Cheetor, he supposed. "I'd chase you."

"Really?"

"Indeed. Letting you go is not something I intend to do wilfully. Were you to flee, I would stalk." Cheetor tilted his head thoughtfully, just taking in the information.

"Kinda creepy."

"Perhaps, but I am of the ever lasting opinion that none of those imbeciles are worthy of such a prize."

"That's sweet."

"Perhaps I should sit in the CR chamber for a while." Cheetor chuckled again, pawing at Dinobot's chest once more.

"You're perfectly fine as you are."

"Thank you."

"Alright... what if they _took_ me?," he proposed sharply. This would be interesting.

"Then I would cut down every single living entity on this planet until I found you again. Maximal or Predacon. Cybertronian or alien." There was a pregnant silence.

"Please don't do that."

"I would only do so if you were stolen from me."

"But I won't be."

"Why is that?"

"I have a big, strong warrior always looking after me," he purred and curled against his warrior tightly. Dinobot coiled around him.

"And you?"

"Hm?"

"What would you do if I was taken from you?"

"... I'd say cry, but you wouldn't like that."

"Correct, but you are far from the type to go on a blind rampage."

"Right, so I guess... I'd just wait for you, like I always do." Dinobot's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Wait for me?"

"Mm hm. You always find your way back. It's part of what just makes you, _you_!," he explained, voice getting tired and droopy. "I know you'll always come back to me."

"... Wise kitten." Cheetor gave one last faint giggle, then dropped off. Dinobot lay there quietly, listening to his breathing.

~X~

"Boss bot, can you hear me?" A crackle of static fizzled through the speakers, Primal's words stuttering and poking through every now and then.

" _... Cheetor... fzzt... blizzard... bzz... cave... defences!_ " The feline and the saurian glanced at each other. They got the general gist of that.

"Understood, big bot. Keep warm, okay?" Dinobot moved to activate Sentinel, as Optimus' reply came through jaggedly again.

" _See... soon... try... Cheetor..._ " The comm cut out. Cheetor stepped back from the console and sighed. The entire team was on the field except for Dinobot and himself. Rattrap and Airazor had been sent on a scouting mission is the warm Eastern sectors, while the others went to the snowy North. He looked over at Dinobot as the warrior sank into a seat and propped his pedes up, servos folded on his stomach.

"How can you be so relaxed at a time like this?," Cheetor huffed, placing his golden hands on his hips. Dinobot merely shrugged, rocking back and forth slightly.

"I have faith in our team. Do you?"

"Of course _-!_ "

"Then you should not be so worried." Cheetor stared at the floor, arms dropping. The saurian was right, as usual, but it didn't mean he had to like it. "Come here."

Obeying, Cheetor climbed into Dinobot's lap, straddling the larger mech and letting taloned fingers glide down his spine. He purred, wriggling at the pleasant attention and settling his arms and chin on Dinobot's chest. The Predacon chuckled, embracing the cub fondly. "Admit it," the cat spat teasingly. "You're glad to be alone in the base with me!"

"Did I ever say I was not?" Cheetor smiled, then leaned forward, pressing their lips together. Dinobot sighed into the tender motion, feeling the tickle of Cheetor's warm blooded body seep into his joints. A simple touch or kiss was enough to settle Dinobot at the most frantic of times.

"Well, dat settles dat!" They looked sideways to see Rattrap in the doorway, Airazor blushing fiercely behind him. "I just knew somet'in' was up between youse two!"

"Oh really, vermin?," Dinobot snorted, not allowing Cheetor to remove himself from his lap. "You mean you finally gained a sense of perception?"

"Always been dere, case y' ain't noticed, choppaface!" They grinned at each other. "'Ey, Airy?"

"Y-yes?," the femme gulped.

"Keep 'dis a secret from de others, y' hear?" He nodded towards the two mechs near the monitors. "Who knows, maybe dey'll let y' watch if y' do."

"Watch?!," Cheetor exclaimed, pushing desperately at Dinobot's chest.

"If she enjoys seeing it and keeps our little secret, then I don't see why not," Dinobot smirked, pulling Cheetor close and kissing him again. Airazor let out an excited squeal, unable to keep herself from bouncing happily.

"Ugh, you big jerk."

"I know, I know."

"Yuck! Git a room youse two!"

"We already share mine, thank you vermin."


	2. Chapter 2

Cheetor staggered back to base as a shivering wreck. His thin fur hadn't been designed to keep him warm in harsh climates, so it was with reluctance that Optimus had sent him to search for an energon trace in the snowy mountains, where they had found Tigatron. He _would_ have sent the larger feline instead, but he and Airazor were on the other side of the prehistoric country. The gorilla was helping Rhinox with a main computer that Inferno and Terrorsaur had successfully scrapped in a recent assault on the base, Rattrap had been damaged in the process of the attack, and Dinobot's beast mode was even less suited to cold weather.

Of course, Cheetor had eagerly accepted the mission and went darting off. After around fifteen hours in the Arctic conditions, he came back shivering and unsuccessful.

Yellow paws dragged their owner into the Axalon and across the main control room floor. His systems and internal fluids were dangerously close to freezing solid. He should have returned to base sooner, but his stubborn pride had overpowered his sense of logic.

He heard a grunt to his right, and looked to see Dinobot on monitor duty.

"So, you are back fur ball," he rumbled. "Were you able to find the energon vein?" The saurian was only three inches away, and he'd been in the warm base all day. Cheetor twitched as his feline instincts kicked in, and he groaned and hung his head. "I shall take that as a 'no', shall I?," Dinobot snorted, wary of how wobbly the kitten was. "Are you alright?"

"... huh?" Dinobot turned in his seat, leaning down and gently hooking a finger under Cheetor's chin, lifting the cat's head.

"You are shivering profusely!," he exclaimed. "This worries me..." Cheetor slowly blinked.

"C-c... cold...," he whimpered, leaning into the raptor's warm hand for a moment. Dinobot snarled in surprise as the cub was suddenly jumped into his lap. His arms flew out, not sure where to put his hands, but Cheetor simply curled up against the raptor's warm torso.

"Cheetor!," Dinobot bellowed. " _What_ are you _doing!?_ "

"... Cold..." Dinobot raised an optic ridge, then sighed and shifted Cheetor into a more comfortable position. He curled muscular arms around the furry form, sharing his warmth to the best of his ability. Cheetor was more or less the same size and weight as Rattrap, so he was hardly a burden. And, well, the raptor needed to rest his head on something!


End file.
